It is well known that pathogens and microorganisms in substances, for example, food, may be inactivated by exposing the substances to high pressure. It is also well understood that for some applications, for example, for microorganisms that are difficult to inactivate, the effectiveness of the pressure processing can be enhanced by the use of elevated temperatures.
Using currently available systems and methods, a substance to be treated is placed in a container, typically a perforated basket made from stainless steel or plastic. The perforated basket and its contents are placed into a pressure vessel and exposed to a pressure media, typically high pressure water, for a selected period of time. The pressure vessel is then depressurized, and the pressure treated substance is removed from the pressure vessel. Because the basket is perforated, the pressure media flows through the side walls of the basket and surrounds the substance to be treated.
While current methods provide acceptable results in many situations, it is believed that improved results can be achieved, particularly for difficult microorganisms, such as bacteria spores. Thus, the present invention is directed to improving the efficacy of current systems in destroying undesirable pathogens and microorganisms in a substance.